Example engagement

2020 was a challenging year. It changed the way we live and work and we want to know how COVID-19 has affected mental health in NSW workplaces.

The challenges of COVID-19 have created pressures and stress many have never experienced before, or could be making it harder to manage existing mental health issues.

Physical distancing and restrictions on gatherings mean working from home has become usual for many people. This can make it harder for people to create meaningful connections at work.

Many people have also experienced financial stress through job losses or a reduction in available work. Some industries have been affected more than others.

We want your feedback to help us understand the issues workers are facing, how businesses have been affected, and how the NSW Government can help. What you tell us will help inform NSW Government policy making, including our Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy.

Tell us what you think

Join the conversation about mental health in NSW workplaces.

To have your say, complete as many of these activities as you’d like.

2020 was a challenging year. It changed the way we live and work and we want to know how COVID-19 has affected mental health in NSW workplaces.

The challenges of COVID-19 have created pressures and stress many have never experienced before, or could be making it harder to manage existing mental health issues.

Physical distancing and restrictions on gatherings mean working from home has become usual for many people. This can make it harder for people to create meaningful connections at work.

Many people have also experienced financial stress through job losses or a reduction in available work. Some industries have been affected more than others.

We want your feedback to help us understand the issues workers are facing, how businesses have been affected, and how the NSW Government can help. What you tell us will help inform NSW Government policy making, including our Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy.

Tell us what you think

Join the conversation about mental health in NSW workplaces.

To have your say, complete as many of these activities as you’d like.

  • The Mentally Healthy Workplace Strategy

    Over half a million NSW workers, (275,000 men and 290,000 women) have poor mental health.1 With one-third of adult life spent at work, the workplace can help improve mental health and reduce the impact and severity of mental ill-health. The workplace provides an opportunity to provide people with a sense of purpose, community and satisfaction, which can help improve mental health outcomes.

    Mentally healthy workplaces can prevent mental ill-health and promote recovery. There can also be financial benefits to promoting mental health in the workplace, returning up to four dollars for every dollar spent on mental health initiatives, engaging workers, increasing productivity and reducing turnover.

    The mentally healthy workplaces in NSW benchmarking tool established a baseline and the results indicated less than 20 per cent of NSW workplaces were identified as taking effective action. Only 8.8 per cent of workplaces had an approach to mental health that was embedded in an integrated and sustained way.

    The NSW Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy 2018-2022 (the Strategy) is the NSW Government’s first comprehensive approach for workplace mental health. It constitutes the biggest commitment to mental health in the workplace by an Australian government, state or federal, with funding of $55 million over four years.